An unfortunate lack of brand recognition, poor marketing, and an undesrved reputation for poor reliability that's really God-awful dealerships and customer care.
Fiat failed to address a poor quality perception when it returned in 2012. Then sitting at the bottom of the quality rankings year after year hasn’t help.
Spider also has to contend with competing in the segment with lowest demand on the entire market.
Consumers seem to very slowly be discovering 500X. If Fiat is able to hang on after it launches the new 500X Abarth, there’s a chance Fiat sales might bottom out and perhaps start to bounce back.
Fiat has to view 500X as its defining model: it competes in the largest segment of all Fiat models, and the segment is growing.
Hopefully FCA will seize the opportunity and fund the marketing for 500X’s relaunch.
This doesn't lessen my enjoyment of my 124 a bit. And having a car that's rare enough that it gets lots of second looks is fun.
As long as I can continue to keep it on the road, I'm okay. I'd like Fiat to succeed to keep the parts network open, of course, but otherwise, to me it's fun to have peoples' reactions be "Oooh, what IS that?" instead of "Nice Miata."
Says it all when I took mine in for the transmission recall work at a local "Fiat" dealer and even the mechanics and sales associates had questions about it for me. They clearly sell more Dodges and Rams with Fiat being a distance 3rd place in the list.
All the above, plus the fact that John Q. Public doesn’t even know the car exists! With that said, the smiles per gallon factor is Way up there, and this is one of the most fun cars I’ve ever owned. Also love it that it gets far more attention than almost anything out there. Here in the Corvette’s hometown theSpider gets a lot more attention that the latest whiz bang ‘vette’s do. Love it!
The question is, what would Fiat build that would sell well in the US right now? I'd buy a Panda 4x4 tomorrow if they sold them here, but I'm in a small minority on that. Fiat's sweet spot (small cars) just doesn't suit the US market and FCA have other brands that fit the niches that do (namely Jeep and RAM).
Thank goodness, or I would not have been able to buy mine for ~$8K off! Mazda would barely budge on leftover Miatas, and I like the look of the Spider better anyway.
In all honesty, Fiat should just pull the plug on their North American operations, cut bait and leave the US market. Their cars are "niche" cars, not mainstream, and that's not enough to support the brand here. With only the 500 and 124 to offer, AND being niche cars, they're doomed to fail, at least here in the US.
If Fiat pulls out of the U.S. market...the 124's in circulation will become much like the short lived MG, triumph, Healey, etc. and be welcomed to collectors/restorers throughout the world as time marches on. The 124 is the best of the best when it comes to styling, quality and panache ! I am not concerned, just enjoying this incredible machine.....
Yes. Fiat is a niche brand in North America partly because the small vehicle segments are not popular right now. But also because Fiat has not positioned itself in a relevant manner to sufficient shoppers. If Fiat’s brand positioning were relevant, 500X and 500L would be selling in greater numbers than they do.
The reasons Fiat has no relevance here are many.
Mostly:
Its defining model is 500. As fun as 500 is, the 2-door configuration is a limiting factor for consumers. And when a brand is defined by a niche model, the brand itself becomes defined as a niche brand.
A brand positioning that ignores the promise of reliability and durability has little appeal outside a small group of loyals. Fiat has gone out of its way to avoid changing perceptions for poor quality. Fiat sales peaked 2-3 years following the brand’s return. But because Fiat failed to appeal beyond that small base, once everyone who had waited got one, sales have been declining ever since.
There are indications that Fiat may be planning to leverage 500X as its brand-defining model going forward. That would help solve issue number 1.
Hopefully it also plans to address perceptions of poor reliability/durability. The two combined would help Fiat not just stabilize but even regain market share.
I love the fact that I paid 37% off the MSRP for my Abarth. I love the fact that I do not see myself coming down the road (like ever.) I love the fact that everywhere I go so many people love my car. I love seeing guys break their neck checking out my car while in traffic. I love how big of a smile it puts on my face when I drive it in a spirited way. I love how it handles, moves along fairly quickly, gets decent gas mileage....
Soooo, tell us how you really feel about the spider.>>>
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